We’re launching Lyria 3.5 in Google Flow Music, with advances across musicality, lyrics, vocals, and creative control
deepmind.google·6d ago
AI Engineering
Hacker News·Jun 23·5 min read
Spying on kids to save kids from spying is stupid
TL;DR
Concerns about children's safety online have led to calls for age verification, which is often a guise for mass surveillance. This approach lacks a reliable method for verifying age without infringing on privacy.
✦ Why It Matters
Engineers should prioritize privacy-preserving solutions over invasive age verification methods in their designs.
Key Takeaways
- Explore privacy-preserving age verification methods.
- Avoid invasive data collection practices.
- Engage with ethical implications of technology.
- Collaborate with privacy advocates for better solutions.
Full Summary
There is a growing concern about the impact of online platforms on children, with various groups advocating for a minimum age for internet use. However, the concept of 'age verification' is misleading, as it often involves invasive surveillance techniques that compromise user privacy.
Current methods do not provide a reliable way to verify age without extensive data collection, which can be more harmful than the issues they aim to address. The article highlights the coalition of anti-Big Tech advocates and cultural conservatives who support these measures, despite their differing motivations.
The implications of such surveillance practices could lead to a loss of privacy for all users, particularly children. Engineers and researchers must consider the ethical ramifications of their work in developing technologies that could contribute to mass surveillance.